Chapter 7

There is only so much you can take before a repetitive dream can get really annoying. But sometimes because it is repeating it could be your sub-conscious trying to tell you something of vital importance. That being the case it brings us to where our missing blue heroic hedgehog was now...

Sonic looked up at the God-like giant panda looking at him with bright yellow eyes and a cruel smirk and rolled his eyes slowly skyward ( well,he would have if where he was had a sky.) he gave a shrug before turning and calmly walking the other way.

"Where do you think you're going, rodent?"

" I'm leaving. You know this has been fun, panda-boy, but I got things to do. Namely getting out of here and back to sanity."

"There is no escape from Feist. Everything in this Zone is made for my amusement. And now I shall be amused by you and your foolish efforts to leave."

"Maybe another time. Now... I've got friends to find and bad guys to fight. Bye!" He waved and continued walking. He didn't move more than a few meters when Feist popped up from the middle of the walkway. "Oh, now what?"

" You must see that your friends have abandoned are stuck here, and if you think the Doctor will save you. He will not." Sonic smirked once more."Yes. I know of the Doctor. The man who can change his face, the man who would let a whole planet burn to save his own is no friend to us. I have suffered at his hands like so many other higher beings." Before Sonic could ask more the panda rose to his full height and folded his arms across his massive chest. His gaze bored into Sonic's, who stared back but then looked the other way when he knew Feist wasn't going to spill the beans. " I sense that you are dirfting between the relms, hedgehog. If it makes you feel better soon you will be reunited with you body." Sonic smiled a bit and carried on walking. After a while Feist sighed loudly. "You are starting to bore me."

Sonic sniffed, "Yeah, well, not much I can do. Just this road to travel on. If you were a real God you'd make me do some kind of test or something. You know, to keep you amused." There was glint in his green eyes that even Feist didn't miss.

The panda God nodded, " Very well. If you wish to amuse me..." He clicked his fingers. The path, save for the piece Sonic was standing on,vanished. In its place stood a big cube made up of green diamonds, there was just one entrance at the bottom. Feist clicked his fingers a second time and the cube floated twisting in mid-air."Enter the maze, display your skills, find the core and find your way out!"

Sonic grinned, " Now that's more like it!"

Rouge stared at the Doctor her heart beating fast against her ribcage. She shifted her eyes to Tails who looked at his shoes. " What did you say?"

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck, "I didn't want you two to find out this way. But seeing as you do I will be open. If my theory is correct Sonic is in great danger. The magic barriers holding his soul in Carla's metal body are seperating thus allowing his soul to slip out and appear as a ball of blue light, as we saw earlier. Now if the barriers continue to weaken-"

SLAP!

He staggered back clutching his reddening cheek, eyes stinging and jaw aching. Rouge had to be held back by Amy who was struggling to hold her steady. Her gaze quite clearly said: It's your own fault.

"Look I'm sorry,girls. I really am. Shadow thought it best-"

"Shadow? You mean he knew too?" Amy's hold relaxed slightly. "He kept it from us. From me?"

"Nice going, Doctor." Hissed Tails behind him, "Real smooth."

Rouge freed her self from Amy's grasp(the hedgehog didn't stop her), raced towards the door, wretched it open and marched into the main section of the church to where Shadow was talking to Midas and a couple of other locals. Hearing her footfalls the black hedgehog turned in greating only to stagger backwards in the same manner as the Doctor when her palm met his cheek.

"How could you!" She screamed. " I thought we were a team! How could you keep this from me? From Amy? You know how I feel about..." She stopped suddenly going pink, realising what she was about to say, her eyes widened.

" Which is the main reason why I didn't want to worry you." He replied simply.

Her face screwed up in anger, she went to hit him across the cheek again. This time he grabbed her wrist. "I challenge you!" She spat.

Shadow blinked, " You can't be serious."

Midas looked pleased for some reason. "Set up the ring. A challenge has be issued!"

The Doctor, Amy and Tails shared glances. Midas led Shadow and Rouge towards another side room, inside was a roughly built circular pen its sides the same height as the Doctor's shoulders. Around the pen ,already, stood a small crowd of portly looking locals( Mostly men) seeing the two animals glaring at each other they turned to a pale faced boy and started placing bets. The Doctor looked around and groaned loudly.

"Aw, nuts. I completely forgot about the local traditions."

"Which are? Ouch!" Amy rubbed her elbow when another bloke barged into her. "Watch it,mate!"

The Doctor edged his way to the front and rested his arms on the rough edges of the pen. " When a challenge is issued the two combatants face each other and fight until one is knocked out cold." Reaching down he took hold of Tails and hauled him up so he could sit in his shoulders. Amy used a old crate to stand up for a better view. "It's quite monstrous, if you ask me. But I suppose the main reason, normally,is honour."

"So... Those two are going to knock seven bells out of each other for honour?"

"Hm...It should be but I don't think it is between these two.I think it's deeper than that."

Inside the ring Shadow and Rouge stood facing each other. The bat eyed the black hedgehog and he did the same. Midas approached them and held out his hands.

"There will be no special powers. You will give up your fancy high-tech gear and fight with what the great Maker has given you. Shadow: you will surrender your gloves cuffed with power rings and jet shoes, Rouge: you will surrender your gloves and steel toed boots. Without them it will be a fair fight. Now take you positions." Once the pair had given him said clothing Midas scooted out the way and hopped over the top of the pen. "Ready? BEGIN!"

The crowd roared with approval and encouraging remarks. Rouge lunged forward with a punch to Shadow's jaw, he ducked and aimed a kick to her stomach. His foot ached on impact and only being sheilded by the thin fabric of his sock. Rouge stumbled, the wind knocked out of her, clutching her middle. Shadow took this moment to raced forward, catching her off-guard, boldly lifting her clean off her feet, she slapped at his arms to be let go but he was having none of it. His momentum took them to the pens' side. Rouge gasped as her back connected with the wall, she brought her legs up wrapping them securely around his waist her thighs squeezing hard.

Shadow growled against her cheek, "Tease."

She laughed,"Oh,please. Don't flatter your self." She bent down and bit him on the neck. Hard. Shadow yelped in pain, released her and stepped back wiping his neck for signs of blood. She took this moment to turn to the crowd. "Your move, creep." She winked, clapping her hands and bowing.

Must not register on emotional level. Shadow scanned the crowd and spotted the Doctor, Tails and Amy with looks of horror on their faces. The crowd started mumbling and edging backwards, even Rouge had stopped her posing and was now looking behind him. Confused he turned and his eyes widened. "What the-?"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. A figure, moving lighting fast,jumped the make-shift barrier. The crowd screamed and ran for the nearest exits. Not pausing the new arrival landed an upper-cut on Shadow, the black hedgehog heard his jaw crack and felt the ground as the back of his head bounced off it. From the corner of his eyes he saw Rouge go on the attack. She jumped and grabbed huge fistfulls of matted fur, holding on for dear life as the arm whipped around trying to flick her off.

The last thing he could remember clearly was the white bat screaming as she was flung over his head, the loud thud as she hit the pens' wall and a groan. The ground beneath him started to rumble with a familar rhythm. EGG KNIGHTS! Two strong hands grabbed him and hauled him to his feet.Though he fought to keep his eyes open he tried to sought out Amy in his hazy state. He heard her cries, heard Tails bravely shouting at what ever had attacked to back off and the Doctor struggling to reason with it but then suffering the same fate as Rouge with a thud and a sigh.

Some where in the chaos and before darkness claimed him for good. He faintly heard a roar of victory.

If there are mistakes, I'm sorry. For some reason FF's spell checker is NOT working for me.

Nice little cameo from Feist from the Archie comics.

Little scene from the hit movie SHERLOCK HOLMES ( I LOVE that film!)

Next chapter is in the works and should be up shortly.

Until next time! M.x